Study says being rich makes you smart

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LONDON -- We all know that money doesn't buy you happiness, but it does buy brains.

A new study in the journal Nature Neuroscience says kids from rich families have bigger brains than their poorer counterparts. For what it's worth, researchers put more than 1,000 kids and teens through brain scanners and had them take a series of tests (while also quizzing their parents on bringing home the bacon.)

As it turns out, kiddies from wealthy families were more likely to succeed on those tests, and scans showed brain areas key to language and high level functioning were bigger in the rich kids too. Parents' background played a part too, though to a lesser degree.

Researchers say more access to resources like childcare and learning materials makes a difference, as does growing up free of stress to make ends meet.